Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said BreastScreen Victoria’s mobile service is set to visit East Gippsland and he is encouraging local women in the Omeo, Orbost and Mallacoota districts to take this opportunity to have a mammogram close to home as it could turn out to be a lifesaver.

“This is an invaluable service and provides East Gippsland women who live in some of our remote towns the opportunity to have high quality digital screening without the need to travel.

  The service is free for women aged 40 years and over.

“The biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman over 50 years of age. With one in nine Victorian women diagnosed with the disease, the free mammogram screening program is the best way of finding cancer early before any symptoms are noticed and when treatment is likely to be most successful.”

BreastScreen Victoria has 39 permanent screening clinics and eight assessment services. The Mobile Screening Service visits 29 locations every two years. Some clinics offer out of hours appointments, including Saturdays and group bookings are available. Women can attend any screening clinic that is convenient.

The service is set to visit the following towns in East Gippsland and is taking appointments at each location:

• Omeo – 20th to 23rd October 2015

• Mallacoota – 27th October to 6th November 2015

• Orbost – 10th to 27th November 2015

Bookings are required so call 13 20 50 or go online to www.breastscreen.org.au to make an appointment today.